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Original poster

Parents complaining about this in school?

167 replies

WillowAnn · 08/01/2025 01:30

DC are not properly watched whilst eating at dinner time and allowed to just go outside whenever they’re finished. So they could basically have no dinner or just a very small amount and then go out to play. Staff don’t advise them to eat more or say they can’t go out until they’ve eaten. Parents are complaining. Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Topseyt123 · 08/01/2025 02:47

Teachers and lunchtime assistants/supervisors are not there to force children to eat food that they don't want. Back off and stop being daft.

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 02:43

DD’s school used to force them to eat or else they wouldn’t be allowed to go out and play, even if they weren’t hungry or didn’t like what was on offer. It drove me absolutely insane as DD was fussy with the appetite of a bird when she was younger - lunch times became a battle ground between her and the teaching assistants. Kids know if they’re hungry or not and don’t need school staff telling them what they ‘have to’ eat.

Gemaski · 08/01/2025 02:35

I am a teaching assistant who also covers lunch, and we really cannot win. If we try encourage children to eat more a parent may complain that we are forcing them and if a child goes home saying they didn't eat their lunch and go home hungry they are quick to write an email accusing us of neglecting their needs! This and water bottles are the biggest complaints we get- the water bottles are available all day to the children but its our fault of they barely drink!

Marchitectmummy · 08/01/2025 02:30

It isn't the schools responsibility to monitor food intake of all children. Of course if there is an eating disorder or a legitimate issue the school will step in but not other than that.

LBFseBrom · 08/01/2025 02:28

Better than force feeding. If the kids are hungry they will eat the food before going off to play.

Why worry? As long as they have a decent meal when they get home, they'll be OK. You could give your children a snack to take in for break time.

Whatabouthow · 08/01/2025 02:20

Sounds great. No point staying sat in front of food you don't want to eat.

Leafy74 · 08/01/2025 02:16

Schools can't win.

Freddymeddy · 08/01/2025 02:10

Let children have autonomy over their bodies in regards to how hungry or not hungry they are perhaps?

EmmaSmiff · 08/01/2025 02:10
Biscuit
Octavia64 · 08/01/2025 01:52

Primary or secondary?

Primary usually has midday supervisors around to supervise the children, but it's not part of their job to make the children eat.

If your child is having problems eating then you can ask for additional support.

Happyinarcon · 08/01/2025 01:51

I don’t want staff to monitor what my child eats, but I would want staff around at that time to keep an eye on bullying (even though they would ignore it anyway)

Floatlikeafeather2 · 08/01/2025 01:47

How do you know that this what happens?

SereneFish · 08/01/2025 01:47

Any thoughts?

You first.

GildedRage · 08/01/2025 01:44

even in schools with packed lunches this is an issue, when my kids were in school the staff asked the kids to put the fruit in a basket vs the bin.
eating should not be monitored for consumption or forced.

MumChp · 08/01/2025 01:33

Ask your children to eat their lunch. Children do have responsibility.
Ours have never been watched for amount of food eaten only behavouir at lunch time.

crumblingschools · 08/01/2025 01:33

Do they want them to force feed the children or make them sit there all lunchtime?

CatsandDogs22 · 08/01/2025 01:33

I wouldn’t want the school dictating how much my child does or doesn’t eat. It’s healthier for them to eat to their appetite not some predetermined amount by the teachers.